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Edmund Getty (1799 - 1857): Antiquarian and linguist

Edmund Getty was born in Belfast and was educated at Belfast Academy and at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution. He rose to be Ballast Master of the Belfast Ballast Board and was later Secretary of the Belfast Harbour Board. He was responsible for the reclamation of the slob-lands on the County Down coast and the construction of a park and 'Crystal Palace' on the site which Harland & Wolff now occupies. He earned a reputation as an antiquary and a linguist, and among his publications are Chinese Seals in Ireland; The History of the Harbour Board; Last King of Ulster and articles on many subject such as Tory Island, round towers and the old ford of Belfast.

He promoted various Ulster institutions such as the Natural History and Philosophical Society and the Botanic Gardens; he was a member of the Belfast Literary Society, elected 1 February 1830, served two terms as President and one year as Secretary, and read eleven papers in total on a broad range of subjects: as examples, "The Silkworm"; "The Primitive Laws of Etna"; "On the characters of Medea and Lady Macbeth"; and "On the ancient divisions of land in Ireland".